At least 72 migrants have lost their lives in a devastating rush to storm the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, transforming one of Europe's latest border crises into a humanitarian disaster that has reignited debate over immigration across the continent.
Spanish authorities continued searching the waters off Ceuta over the weekend for additional victims after an estimated 50,000 to 60,000 migrants – most of them young men – poured into the tiny Spanish territory in North Africa.
Many of the victims drowned while attempting the crossing, while others were killed in a stampede near a breakwater barrier.
The mass crossing unfolded over several days, temporarily increasing Ceuta's population of roughly 84,000 by more than half.
By Sunday, many migrants had returned to neighboring Morocco, while others remained in the city or tried to avoid authorities.
The deaths have intensified the political fight over immigration in Spain and across Europe, with far-right leaders calling for tighter border security and the removal of migrants who remained in the enclave.
Santiago Abascal, leader of Spain's nationalist party, visited Ceuta on Sunday and blasted the country's government, calling the migrant influx "an invasion" and accusing officials of failing to protect Spain's borders.
Tensions were also on display Saturday when a European Parliament member faced angry counterprotesters during a rally in Ceuta, eventually taking shelter inside a nearby bar before police escorted him away.
Many local residents expressed sorrow over the loss of life, even as the political debate intensified.
"It pains me deeply that young people are dying at sea. It's not right that, in the year 2026, women with children as young as two months old should be crossing the sea only to die," said Karima Abenaz, a French national in Ceuta with family in Morocco.
Other local residents said the migrants themselves should not be blamed, with responsibility lying with the authorities.
"If you open the border, of course everyone comes in, but the young men aren't to blame. The authorities are responsible," said Mohamad Abdelkader Driss, a waiter in Ceuta.
The events have tested Ceuta's reputation as a city where Christian, Muslim, Jewish and Hindu communities have long lived side by side, with some residents voicing concerns about security and questioning whether another mass crossing could happen again.
The U.S. State Department has raised its Travel Advisory for Ceuta to Level 3: Reconsider Travel in response to the surge, warning that the "massive and uncontrolled arrival of migrants from Morocco to Ceuta may lead to unpredictable and dangerous security situations."
